The Incorporated Town of North Judson Utilities Department
has a full-time opening for a utility worker.
The position requires a valid, current CDL; ability to lift 80 lbs.;
follow detailed directions; high school diploma or equivalent; read at a high
school level; willingness to work in adverse weather conditions as well as some
weekends and evenings; must have dependable transportation. This is a beginning level position with
opportunities for advancement. Benefits
may include insurance, personal days, and vacation.

Applications must be obtained at the Clerk-Treasurer’s
office during business hours (Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed from 12
noon to 1 p.m.) Send completed
applications or resumes by 4 p.m. Friday, September 5, 2014, to:

Adults who want to learn to weld or enhance their skills can
take advantage of opportunities offered through the Starke County Initiative
for Lifelong Learning. Classes offered through the SCILL Center’s Adult Welding
Technology program meet two evenings per week for four hours at a time for 12
weeks.

Instructors are AWS certified and bring a great deal of
hands-on knowledge to the classroom and lab setting. Students learn about
blueprint reading/symbols, welding measurements, safety, MIG/TIG/Stick welding,
aluminum welding, stainless welding, rolled pipe welding, oxy acetylene
welding, brazing, plasma cutting and oxy fuel burning. They also have an
opportunity to visit job fairs, tour area plants and meet with employers who
are in need of trained welders. The cost for the class is $2,000 and includes
all necessary materials. Eligible participants who apply through WorkOne may
have some or all of the fees paid.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

The Moving Starke County Forward organization’s Another Step Forward walking challenge is drawing to a close.

If you are taking part in the challenge, officials ask that you turn in your steps so they can be added to the grand total. Walking, biking, running and swimming all count toward the total. Send in your statistics to anotherstepforward2014@gmail.com.

Steps count all the way through Sept. 1. The final totals need to be turned in by Sept. 5. Those who turned in the highest amount of steps will receive prizes. Those will be handed out during the WoodStarke program on Saturday, Sept. 13 at Wythogan Park in Knox.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Community members are invited to learn more about Starke
County’s newest school during a spotlight breakfast. It’s scheduled at The
Crossing campus on U.S. 35 next to Save A Lot on Thursday, Aug. 28 at 7:30 a.m.
The faith-based alternative school opened recently and provides a combination
of classroom and vocational training for students who have dropped out, been
expelled or otherwise fallen through the cracks in the public school system.

Organizers say the goal is to empower struggling students to
become contributing members of their communities through academics, job
training and faith-based mentoring. Coffee and donuts will be served. The
informational session will end at 8:30 a.m.

Prospective students can stop by the school Monday through Friday
from 8 until 11 a.m. and 1 until 3 p.m. to sign up for classes. Board president
Mark Bailey says students will not be turned away, and financial assistance is
available. Students who register for classes by Sept. 12 will count toward
their home public school corporation’s enrollment count for the sake of state
funding. The public school and The Crossing will each get a share of that
money. Find more information online at http://crossingeducation.com/.

Friday, August 22, 2014

The Starke
County Chamber of Commerce is accepting Business of the Year nominations
through Sept. 1. In order to be considered, a business must be a chamber member
that has been in businesses for at least three years.

The business
must also promote consistent products or service to its customers and the
community and promote and encourage employees to be involved in community
events. The winning business will be recognized at the annual Starke County
Chamber of Commerce Dinner. Nomination forms are available by clicking here
Starke County Chamber Business of the Year Nomination Form They can also be
picked up at the Starke County Chamber of Commerce office. Visit
http://www.starkecountychamber.com/ for more information.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

The Executive Director of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation will serve as one of 13 judges for the South Shore Wall of Legends and Legends Scholarship Project.

Charlie Weaver will help select inductees from among several who are nominated each year. The Wall of Legends is located at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond and honors people from northwest Indiana who have changed the world and reflect the values of exploration and courage and innovation.

This year’s induction ceremony will be held on Dec. 18 at 5:30 p.m. CT at the welcome center.

Starke County officials are seeking nominations for
volunteers to serve on the county park board. Starke Circuit Judge Kim Hall and
the Starke County Council each have two nominations – one Democrat and one
Republican. The Starke County Commissioners will select the fifth member.
Political affiliation is not a consideration for the commissioner’s nominee. Potential
board members should be Starke County residents with an interest in and
knowledge of parks and recreation. The board is charged with promoting parks,
public open spaces and recreational activities on county-owned properties.
These include the Bass Lake Beach and Campground, Starke County Forest and
other lands. The board will develop and implement policies regarding their use,
maintenance and development in hopes of increasing their awareness and use.

One of their first challenges will be to address camping
guidelines at the Bass Lake Campground. It is owned by the county but
contractually managed by Richard Callahan. The county commissioners have opted
to let the park board decide whether extended campsite leases will be allowed
there after several seasonal campers complained about their proposal to limit
camping to 15 days at a time.

Interested nominees for the council or commissioners
appointments may be submitted to: Auditor Kay Chaffins, Starke County Annex Building,
53 East Mound St., Knox, IN 46534 or by email to auditor@co.starke.in.us.

Nominations should be submitted no later than Sept. 12. The
initial membership terms will be staggered. As they expire, each new
appointment will be for four years.

The Starke County Council is in the process of crafting the
2015 budget. Once it’s finished, it will be published for taxpayer review.
Council President Dave Pearman says that process is changing after this year.

“Next year they’re going to take the advertisement straight
out of Gateway. Unfortunately it doesn’t leave the opportunity for the public
to see the postings in the paper. Hopefully they’ll be able to use the Internet
and access those items.”

Pearman says information about the county’s finances is a
matter of public record and is available online.

“People can go to IN.gov and just type in “gateway” into the
search,” Pearman said. “There’s a lot of information there now, and there’s a
lot of prospective information. Five years ago they talked about being a lot
more useful and adept. There are a lot of things the public can access if they
want to know information from what people get paid to budget orders and things
like that. We want to try to get people invited to do that so they don’t miss
out when they don’t see the advertisements in the newspaper in 2015.”

Pearman adds he’s pleased with the budget draft the council
is working on. He said it includes everything the county needs to support the
new jail, which is set to open in the spring as well as the recent expansion of
Starke County EMS. He said the proposed spending plan gets a lot of things done
with a very small amount of money. Once the budget is finished it will be
advertised and submitted to the state for review and final approval.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Many local preschools still have openings for children to
ensure your child is ready for kindergarten.

Full and partial scholarships are still available at several
local preschools through the Starke County Community Foundation’s Preschool
Scholarship Program. Preschools participating in the scholarship program that
still have openings include Foundations Preschool and Little Lambs Preschool,
both located in Knox plus adventure Island Preschool and St. Peter Lutheran
Preschool in North Judson.

Families that have financial need are also encouraged to
check with the Knox Head Start Program, which still has openings. Early Head
Start is also available to children 0 to 3 years old. If your child is four
years old and not eligible for head start you are encouraged to apply for a
scholarship so your child can attend a participating preschool.

This is the second year of the Starke County Preschool
Scholarship Program and its goal of making preschool education affordable for
every child continues. Eighty-five percent of a person’s brain development
happens by the age of five. Early learning makes preschool important for a
child’s development.

Parents and grandparents who would like to find out how to
apply for a scholarship should contact Sarah Origer Director of Development by
email at starke@nicf.org, or by calling (574) 772-3665. To inquire about Head
Start and Early Head Start, call Linda Kelly at 772-2347 or visit the Program
at 401 East Washington Street in Knox.

The North Judson Town Council members held discussion on a number of topics during their Monday meeting.

Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann told the council members the new maintenance building should be completed by the end of the month. The project was to be complete a few months ago, but the weather and other unforeseen circumstances delayed the start of the project until late March. The town employees have been working on the building’s interior.

Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry also told WKVI News that 46 plots at Highland Cemetery have been purchased in the amount of $18,400. Thirty-eight plots remain for sale.

In addition, Henry said the budget hearing will be held Monday, Sept. 15 at 6 p.m. CT at the North Judson Community Center. The budget adoption hearing will be Monday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. CT at the community center. The town is participating in a state study along with the county which is why the budget process is a bit delayed this year.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

The organizers of Starke County’s newest festival are
meeting this afternoon to get ready for the upcoming event. The WoodStarke
Committee will convene from 3 until 5 p.m. at the Starke County Chamber of
Commerce and Visitor’s Center Office, which is located in the depot on U.S. 35
at the north edge of the city.

The festival will take place on Saturday, Sept. 13 at
Wythogen Park and will feature musical entertainment and activities for the
entire family. It will also mark the conclusion of this summer’s “Another Step
Forward” community health and fitness challenge. Today’s meeting is open to
anyone who would like to help plan and promote the event.

The Yellowstone Trail Festival was a success. The three-day
event was held in Hamlet.

The Miss Yellowstone Trail Festival pageant was held on
Saturday morning. Markee Farler from Plymouth was crowed as Miss Yellowstone.
She will be eligible for the Miss Indiana pageant which is part of the Miss
America scholarship program.

Elexuss Miller from North Judson was crowned Jr. Miss
Yellowstone, Little Miss Yellowstone was Kaylee Hamilton from Culver and the
Tiny Miss Yellowstone was Myah Maroules of Knox.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Lots of things have happened in my short lifetime. One thing of interest is that school rivals could join together in a reunion to celebrate graduation. On July 10, 1982, a class of the Center Township School and a class of the Knox High School jointly held their 50th class reunion. Each group had graduated in 1932.

Now, for some of you who may not know, the Center Township School (for students living in Center Township outside the city limits of Knox) was located just west of Knox on the property where the White Flyer Company is now. The Knox High School was in town. The two schools were only a mile apart, but were strong rivals in sports. The "Blue Streaks" (Center) and the "Knox Redskins" would always battle very hard in basketball (the sport of the day). The Center School burned in January 1942, so the "country bumpkins" had to join together with the "city slickers" to form the Knox Community Schools. And that is why the official colors of the Knox Community Schools are now Red, White and Blue.

The news article about the unique reunion relates how each person shared memories about living conditions in the great depression and how different things were "now" (in 1982).

It is interesting in 2014 to read about corn selling for 10 cents a bushel and a cup of coffee selling for 5 cents in 1932. The news article lists other items subject to inflation over the years (now 82 years ago). Fascinating where time has taken us.

Attached is the article with picture of those "rivals" who put aside differences to celebrate together. (Maybe folks in the Middle East could take a lesson?) You may have to enlarge the article to be able to read it better.

Get ready, the new U.S. 31 will open to traffic this Thursday between South Bend and Plymouth. The majority of the roadway is done and ready, but the new highway is not complete, so there will be some restrictions through the end of the year.

The map here details nearly everything you need to know about changes and restrictions, but here are some of the more important highlights (explained from north to south):

South Bend area:

- You don’t have to enter and exit the new U.S. 31 at its northernmost part. Drivers will automatically be shifted onto new 31, just south of the U.S. 20 Bypass.- Restrictions near the Bypass ramps will remain (just like they are now) so ramp traffic will have to stop and merge with new U.S. 31 traffic, but just for a few months while work continues.- If you want to use Old US 31 near Kern Road you’ll have to exit New US 31 at the Kern Road interchange, just south of the Bypass.- Old U.S. 31 will be closed between Main Street and Hildebrand Street through the end of 2014- Old U.S. 31 will dead end permanently at Hildebrand once the entire project is complete.

Lakeville area

- The State Road 4 interchange is the second exit on the new U.S. 31. Traffic should use this exit to access State Road 4/Pierce Road, Old U.S. 31, and Lakeville.

LaPaz area:

- The U.S. 6 interchange is the third exit on the new U.S. 31. Traffic should use this exit to access U.S. 6, Old U.S. 31, and LaPaz.

New U.S. 31, Plymouth area

- The 7th Road interchange is the fourth exit on the new U.S. 31, but will not be completed and accessible until the end of 2014. Once complete, traffic will use this exit to access 7th Road and Plymouth.- You don’t have to enter and exit the new U.S. 31 at its southernmost part. Drivers will automatically be shifted on and off new 31, just north of U.S. 30.- Restrictions of one lane in each direction near U.S. 30 will remain (just like they are now), but just for a few months while work continues.

Applications are now being accepted by the Indiana State
Police for the 75th Recruit Academy.

Applications must be received via email by 11:59 p.m. ET on
Sunday, Nov. 30. Anyone interested in a career as an Indiana State Trooper can
visit http://www.in.gov/isp/2368.htm
for detailed information on the application process and career information.

You must be a United States citizen in order to be
considered for a position with the Indiana State Police as a trooper. You must
also be at least 21 years of age and less than 40 years of age, meet minimum
vision standard requirements, possess a valid driver’s license, be willing to
serve anywhere in the state, and be a high school graduate or have a general
equivalency diploma.

The Indiana State Police Department is competitive with its
salary wage, according to the department’s news release. A recruit is paid
$1,417 bi-weekly during the academy training. When training is successfully
completed, the starting salary is $38,444 a year. Benefits are also included.

The cupboards are bare at the Community Services of Starke
County Food Pantry. They are in need of canned fruits and vegetables, macaroni
and cheese dinners, pancake mix, spaghetti noodles and all varieties of
breakfast cereals.

In addition to food, they also give personal care items to
low-income residents and are especially in need of toilet paper. Last month the
food pantry received 7,341 pounds of food and distributed 8,388 to 841 people
in 278 Starke County households. Donations can be dropped off at the Community
Services of Starke County Office on Culver Road or at a number of participating
local businesses.

Friday, August 15, 2014

The Yellowstone Trail Festival gets underway today in Hamlet and every effort is being made to salute our veterans. You are invited to bring a poster of your family hero and information about their service in the Armed Forces. The poster will be displayed on the Hero’s Wall during the entire festival.

Sargent Risky of the Valparaiso, Indiana Marines recruiting office has requested an opportunity to have 30 of his soldiers that are shipping out next week to do a demonstration at the Yellowstone Trail Fest of CFT. The training will happen at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and then the soldiers will be running the perimeter of the festival in formation for a half hour.

Army and Navy recruiters will be present along with Operation Quiet Comfort representatives and the Indiana Patriot.

In addition to the veteran recognition events, you may shop at the many yard sales throughout town, the Miss Yellowstone Trail Pageant will be Saturday morning at 11 a.m., a car show is slated for 9 a.m. on Saturday and the parade is Sunday at 2 p.m. CT. A quilt show, music, the Hamlet Rendezvous camps, and much more are planned in this year’s festival.

Most of the weekend’s activities will be held at the Starke County Fairgrounds in Hamlet.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Starke County 4-H Council is having a Pork Chop Dinner August 29th before the North Judson vs Knox football game. The dinner will be held at St. Peter Lutheran School, Hwy 10, North Judson.
Tickets are $10 for dine-in or carry-out. The meal includes a pork chop, baked potato, green beans, applesauce and a drink.

Starke County high school students wishing to pursue a
career in either welding or automotive technology can get a head start on doing
so without leaving home. The Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning
offers courses in both fields of study to high school juniors and seniors.
Participants in the vocational welding technology program learn about various
types of welding as well as how to read blueprints, handle tools and do the job
safely. They also get ample hands-on experience and receive both high school
and college credit for their participation in the program. The tuition cost is
covered by their school corporation, but the students are responsible for their
book rental and welding kit.

SCILL also offers a vocational automotive technology
program. It’s also a two-year course of study for area high school juniors and
seniors who attend classes at their school for half a day and spend the rest of
their time at SCILL. They get hands-on instruction in brakes, electrical
systems, engine performance, suspension and steering, automatic and manual
transmissions, vehicle heating and air conditioning and engine repair.

Students interested in enrolling in the SCILL Vocational
Welding Technology Program or Vocational Automotive Technology Program can
contact their high school guidance counselor, the SCILL Center or use the
online application available at www.scill.biz or www.ncavc.info. Participating
students will also have opportunities to intern with local businesses as part
of the program.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

I bet the only reason you haven't tried our new offering is because you don't know if Mango Languages offers the language you want to learn. Well, here is a listing of all the languages that are currently available on the site.

Right now I'd be interested in dabbling in Oktoberfest German, Pirate, Spanish for Librarians, and St. Patrick’s Day Irish. But if you're a serious student or planning a trip to some foreign shores you might be interested in one of the over 60 languages listed.

Remember, patrons who live in Wayne Township only need the 14 digit barcode from their library card and they can be on their way to learning to speak Chinese, or Farsi, or Greek, or Gaelic, or.....

Learn what it’s like to live from paycheck to paycheck on a limited income during an upcoming poverty simulation hosted by Purdue Extension Pulaski County. An estimated 13-percent of the population there live at the poverty level. Statewide an estimated 1 in 5 children go hungry on a daily basis. Pulaski County Extension Director Natalie Federer says the program helps people understand the “complexities and frustrations” of living in poverty day to day.” She hopes raising awareness will help to more effectively address poverty issues in the community. The poverty simulation will take place Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 5 p.m. EDT at the Winamac Knights of Columbus.

During the Community Action Poverty Simulation exercise, participants role-play the lives of low income families. Some participants will assume the role of a disabled individual, while others will be senior citizens on Social Security. They will then experience firsthand what it’s like to provide necessities and shelter on a limited budget. During four 15-minute “weeks” they will interact with human service agencies, pawnbrokers, bill collectors, police officers, grocers, job interviewers and others.

A meal will be served to participants. RSVP is required by Sept. 19 by calling 574-946-3412.

We wish to thank O's Tap for sponsoring this benefit - we greatly appreciate the support!

Details:

Sign up starts at 10 a.m. CST at O's Tap in Knox$ 15.00 single/ $ 25.00 coupleKickstands up at 11 a.m. CST and starts at O's TapRide will be apprx. 100 miles with 4 stopsFood ( Bub's BBQ !!! ) & Beverage included at the end of the ride.50/50, Raffles and Door Prizes!!Ride ends at the Animal Shelter

All proceeds go to the Animal Shelter. Please ride responsibly and help us help the Animals. Thank you for your support!

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Each of our ebooks is listed in the library's card catalog, but the easy way to access them is to visit our Magic Wall (http://njwt.axis360.baker-taylor.com), browse our selection, if you find a title of interest log in with your library card and check it out.

The End Games by T. Michael Martin = In the rural mountains of West Virginia, seventeen-year-old Michael Faris tries to protect his fragile younger brother from the horrors of the zombie apocalypse.

An eye for glory: the Civil War chronicles of a Citizen Soldier by Karl A. Bacon = Michael Palmer is a good man, a family man. But honor and duty push him to leave his comfortable life and answer the call from Abraham Lincoln to fight for his country. This “citizen soldier” learns quickly that war is more than the battle on the field.

Finding me : a decade of darkness, a life reclaimed : a memoir of the Cleveland kidnappings by Michelle Knight with Michelle Burford = Describes the details of the abduction and decade-long captivity of one of the three survivors of notorious Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro, and how she found the courage to endure unimaginable circumstances and never lose hope for the future.

Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent = Presents the story of the four-year old son of a Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven.

Long Mile Home : Boston Under Attack, the City's Courageous Recovery, and the Epic Hunt for Justice by Scott Helman and Jenna Russell = We all know about those fifteen seconds near the finish line 2013 Boston Marathon when all hell broke loose. What we need to know is what happened in the week before and after the bombings. Boston Globe reporters Scott Helman and Jenna Russell now tell this story of the sudden transformation of euphoria and horror and the aftermath of events that killed four people and injured hundreds.

Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed = A powerful, blazingly honest, inspiring memoir: the story of a 1,100 mile solo hike that broke down a young woman reeling from catastrophe--and built her back up again.

Wonders never cease by Tim Downs = When a car accident leaves a famous movie star in a coma, nurse Kemp---a medical school dropout---devises an evil plan. Manipulating her medication, he pretends to be an angel giving her messages---then dictates a "spiritual bestseller" he believes will make them both rich. But what will he do if real angels show up?

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Yahoo! Thanks to Anne Mahler the obituaries from the Starke County Leader covering 2007 to 2013 have been transcribed into an Excel spreadsheet, which was transferred into a PDF document, which now is available on the North Judson-Wayne Township Library's website for genealogy searches.

I posted earlier that the American Legion is beginning to gather names to be added to the North Judson War Memorial Drinking Fountain. If you have the name of someone who has lived in North Judson for ten (10) consecutive years that you wish to have added, you can email the information to:

norjudlib@gmail.com.

When you submit a name please include the rank they had when they left the military, branch served, years in service/wars, and any special commendations they received.

North Judson will soon have a new town hall. First Farmers Bank and Trust has offered their former bank building and properties on Lane Street as a donation to the town. The council voted unanimously to accept that offer Monday night. The building will be named North Judson Town Hall. It will house the water department and clerk treasurer’s offices and serve as meeting space for the town council. Transition to the new facility from the existing office space on Keller Avenue is expected by the end of the year.

A portion of Starke County Road 300 East will reopen to traffic today. Work is ongoing to widen the road and rebuild the intersection with State Road 8 to improve access to the Knox Industrial Park. The project engineer advises 300 East will be open to northbound traffic only from Culver Road north to State Road 8. Culver Road will be fully open in both directions east and west of that intersection. Pacific Avenue will be fully open to the west of 300 East/Kloeckner Drive. To the east of that intersection Pacific Avenue may be closed temporarily between 7:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Pacific Avenue will be open each afternoon and overnight. Crews are replacing the storm sewer on Pacific Avenue as part of the upgrades. That project should be done in a few weeks. The entire road construction project is slated for completion in November.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

The Starke County EMS base in North Judson will soon have a paramedic on duty around the clock. The county commissioners approved the expansion of Advanced Life Support, or ALS, service to that base immediately and to Grovertown starting Jan. 1. Knox already has 24-hour ALS coverage. Having extra paramedics available will allow Starke County EMS to transfer patients from the hospital and nursing homes to other facilities and bill Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance for reimbursement. Commissioner Kathy Norem made it clear she does not want a memorandum of understanding with IU Health to take transfers from their facility.

“I don’t want taxpayers to fund the Greyhound Bus to LaPorte,” Norem said during yesterday’s meeting.

Starke County Council President Dave Pearman has worked closely with Starke County EMS officials on the proposed ALS expansion. He said a memorandum of understanding is irrelevant because the county will have adequate coverage should a transfer be necessary.

Norem stressed that sending patients out of the county for routine care is bad for business. “Every time we send a service to LaPorte hospital instead of keeping them here at Starke for things that we could do, somebody here doesn’t work. Somebody in Starke County does not collect a paycheck,” she said. “It is an economic problem when you don’t support your own hospital and you just allow the services to continue to dwindle to nothing. You’re not going to be able to recruit any more factories. That’s one of the things they look for. It’s a huge economic problem to not support our own hospital.”

She added it also creates a hardship for the families of patients to have to drive long distances to visit them in the hospital.

“I know for a fact that they are taking things up there that could be done here and should be done here, and if we let our hospital go, as elected officials, then we all ought to be shot at sunrise,” Norem said.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Students will be headed back to classrooms next week and
Indiana State Police officers urge you to watch for school bus traffic.

When approaching a school bus from any direction and it is
stopped with its flashing red lights activated and stop arm extended, motorists
are required to stop, even on multiple lane highways. Motorists who are on a
highway that is divided by a barrier or unimproved median are required to stop
only if they are traveling in the same direction as the school bus. If there is
no unimproved median or barrier, then all lanes in all directions must stop.

Disregarding a school bus stop arm is a serious violation and
one that school bus drivers are quick to report. Violation of his law is a
Class A infraction and is punishable by a maximum fine of $10,000.

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Construction is scheduled to begin Saturday, Aug. 9 on Starke/Pulaski Habitat for Humanity’s fifth home. It will be located at 712 South West Street in Winamac. Work will take place on Saturdays until the home is finished. Volunteers are needed to help with construction, clean up and meal preparation for the work crew. Construction volunteers must be 16 or older. On-site supervisors will provide hands-on training, so prior building experience is not a requirement. Tools will be provided, or volunteers may bring their own.

In addition to volunteers, materials are also needed. Habitat officials say no donation is too small. Everything from a box of nails to building materials will be put to use. Future homeowners Ray and Raychel Davis will also assist with the construction, as Habitat for Humanity requires prospective owners to contribute “sweat equity” to the project. Homes are sold to low-income families at no profit and are financed with affordable loans. The owners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build more Habitat homes.

This is the fifth home built by Starke/Pulaski Habitat for Humanity. Anyone interested in volunteering may contact Ray Michau at 574-595-7803 or email Annray@pwrtc.com; Wendy Hoppe at 574-896-2811 or email plumb_her@yahoo.com; or Steve Morrison at 574-595-5227 or smorr3@gmail.com. For more information about the organization, visit www.sphabitat.org.

The Yellowstone Trail Festival is coming up and a pageant to determine the festival’s queen is set for Saturday, Aug. 16 during the festival.

Four age divisions will be crowned: Tiny Miss for girls ages 5 to 8, Little Miss for girls ages 9 to 12, Jr. Miss for ages 13 to 16 and Miss from 17 to 21. The Miss Yellowstone winner will advance to the Indiana State Festival Pageant.

The pageant is set to begin at 11 a.m. CT on the stage at the Starke County Fairgrounds in Hamlet.

The Yellowstone Trail Festival in Hamlet is Aug. 15 to Aug. 17 and will feature daily activities, music and events.